We are collecting soil samples and farm management data for the “Sequestration Systems”

135 samples, 5 farms, soil cores up to 90 cm deep, 1,200 km travelled.

For the third year in a row, we are collecting soil samples and farm management data for the “Sequestration Systems” project, coordinated by CARC in collaboration with the Czech University of Life Sciences (CZU). The aim of the project is to model the potential for carbon sequestration in soils under Czech climate conditions.

We take samples from five organic farms with which we have long-term partnerships. We’re very glad that these farms are engaged in the topic and actively contribute to developing a national standard for carbon farming.

🌱 Why is this important? 

In the coming years, the Czech Republic will need to implement European carbon farming strategies as outlined by the European Commission in its Sustainable Carbon Cycles communication.

The goal is to create a functional and transparent system to verify how much carbon farmers are able to store in their soils—and eventually receive carbon credits in return.

The Sequestration Systems project offers concrete proposals and solutions in the areas of: 

🔸 legislative frameworks

🔸 new technologies and farming systems

🔸 methodologies for soil carbon measurement 

🔸 and the development of simulation models

Model development is supported by IIASA, an international research institute based in Vienna that focuses on modeling global challenges, including climate change.

Crop rotations in organic farming, based on crops with a higher carbon sequestration potential—such as perennial forage crops—are emerging as a sustainable long-term solution for managing soil carbon. At the same time, they provide added value to consumers in the form of high-quality food from a low-impact farming system that is robust, verifiable, and transparent.